8.r G I vuvooIV-JVU UIVlD NO IUL4-UU IU United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the Natio~lRegister of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "NIA" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. 1. Name of Property-. Historic name: Murray Hill Other nameslsite number: VDHR #053-5783 Name of related multiple property listing: NIA (Enter "NIA" if property is not part of a multiple property listing 2. Location Street & number: 429 10 Edwards Ferry Road City or town: Leesburg State: VA County: Loudoun Not For Publication: l./R Vicinity: 3. Statemederal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property _3(_ meets -does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: national -statewide -X local ~ElicableNational Register Criteria: Virginia Department of Historic Resources State or Federal agencyhureau or Tribal Government In my opinion, the property - meets -does not meet the National Register criteria. Signature of commenting official: Date 1 Title : State or Federal agencyhureau or Tribal Government United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Murray Hill Loudoun County, VA Name of Property County and State ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) Private: X Public – Local Public – State Public – Federal Category of Property (Check only one box.) Building(s) District X Site Structure Object Sections 1-6 page 2 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Murray Hill Loudoun County, VA Name of Property County and State Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing ___12________ ___7_________ buildings ____0________ ___0_________ sites ____1________ ___3_________ structures ____0________ ___0_________ objects ___13________ ___10_________ Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register ____0____ ____________________________________________________________________________ 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) __DOMESTIC: Single dwelling _________________ __ DOMESTIC: Secondary structures_____________ __AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Animal facility_ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Storage______ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Agricultural outbuilding__ ___________________ Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) __ DOMESTIC: Single dwelling _________ __ DOMESTIC: Secondary structures _ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Animal facility ______ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Storage _________________ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Agricultural outbuilding __ __ AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: Recreational; office __ _________ Sections 1-6 page 3 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Murray Hill Loudoun County, VA Name of Property County and State _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.) _LATE 19 TH AND EARLY 20 TH CENTURY REVIVALS: Colonial Revival____ _OTHER: Federal Revival_____ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) Principal exterior materials of the property: ___STONE: Slate; WOOD _________ Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph Murray Hill is a 56.7-acre property sited on the bluffs of the Potomac River approximately three miles east of Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. It has a rolling topography with an open field and pond on the south and 100-foot bluffs above the Potomac on the north. In addition to the 1938 Colonial Revival-style main house, there are eleven contributing buildings, including an early-19 th -century log dwelling, a late-19 th -century smokehouse, a ca. 1900 tenant house, and a boat house, carriage house/garage, four sheds, saw mill, and a chicken/poultry house, all built ca. 1940. A historic roadbed associated with the Civil War-era Battle of Ball’s Bluff is a contributing structure. Non-contributing buildings include two mid-20 th -century sheds, a tenant house, generator shed, walk-in shed, barn and pre-fabricated shed from the early 21 st century. Two ponds and a swimming pool are non-contributing structures. The main house is a dramatic, two-and-a-half story, five-bay, double-pile stone house. Built in 1938 by Stirling Murray Rust, its exterior represents the Colonial Revival style and its interior reveals elements of the Federal Revival style. The footprint and many architectural features are modeled after Rust’s boyhood home, Rockland (VDHR #053-0096), a few miles to the north. Rust co-founded the Rust Engineering Company1 and established a Pittsburgh branch in 1913. He worked closely with the company’s architect, Mario Celli, to design both the exterior and interior of the house. ______________________________________________________________________________ Section 7 page 4 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Murray Hill Loudoun County, VA Name of Property County and State Narrative Description Setting Murray Hill sits on the bluffs of the Potomac River in Loudoun County, approximately three miles east of Leesburg. The view to the north is the tip of Harrison’s Island and the Maryland shore beyond. The parcel is bounded to the south by historic Edwards Ferry Road (VDHR# 053- 6078) and on the east and west by woods. The house is set back from and is not visible from Edwards Ferry Road. Access to the house is via an unpaved, historic roadbed that led to what was known as Ault’s Landing on the Potomac River. Loudoun County’s water rescue services still use the road if an emergency requires them to launch watercraft on the Potomac River. The land slopes to the east as the bluffs give way to shoreline and a river access. The parcel has a rolling landscape with seasonal streams and is part woodland and part open field. A formal boxwood garden with seating areas is to the south of and visible from the main dwelling. The garden is bordered on its west by large boxwoods planted by S.M. Rust. The old boxwood border shields the swimming pool, which is adjacent to but not visible from the garden. The Rusts farm the land, raising cattle and chickens. It is one of the easternmost farms that remain in Loudoun County. The early 1800s log house, visible from the road, has a different street address for fire and rescue purposes and is also accessed from Edwards Ferry Road. Construction In the early 1930s, S.M. Rust had a vision for the dwelling he wanted to build at Murray Hill, and his engineering and construction knowledge allowed him to take a hands-on approach to designing and constructing his house. He personally selected all materials, from the furnace to the hardware to the paint colors. He chose the Italian and Alabama marble for the bathrooms and stored the slabs at his house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.2 Mr. Rust’s attention to detail is evident in the numerous documents in the family’s files. Detailed specifications include those for the millwork, tile work, roofing, painting, heating systems, and hardware. He kept tabs on the construction schedules and quality of work, remaining in constant contact with his site superintendent, D.W. Armentrout, and the Pittsburgh-based superintendent, A.M. Duncan.